Upcoming RAS Suzhou Events for February and March

Behind the Bamboo Curtain

Sunday, February 19, 2012

2pm
Follow Simon Cockerell across the border of one of the most mysterious countries in the world: North Korea. He shares stories and photos from his frequent visits and the experiences and dealings he has had with the North Koreans. Mr. Cockerell hopesduring the afternoon to demystify some of the more confusing elements of North Korean society and in general present more information about a place about which too little is known.

Mr. Cockerell is the General Manager of Koryo Tours Ltd, the Beijing-based British-run tour company that specializes in leading tours to North Korea. He has been visiting North Korea on a regular basis since 2002.

At the Suzhou Bookworm, Gunxiu Fang 77, Shi Quan Jie. 50 rmb for members; 90 rmb for non-members. Includes one glass of wine or beer. For more information or membership applications, contact Bill Dodson at bdodson88@gmail.com.

And look forward to the first anniversary celebration of RAS-Suzhou….

Chiang Kai Shek: the Early Years
Saturday, March 17
5pm – 7pm.

Come celebrate the first anniversary of the Suzhou chapter of the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) with a talk by Jonathan Fenby on the early life of Chiang Kai Shek, followed by a reception and membership drive hosted by the RAS. Mr Fenby is the author of a biography of Chiang Kai Shek and of “The Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850-2009”. He traces the rise of Chiang from 1911 to 1937, against the backdrop of a country torn apart by feuding warlords, ruthless gangsters, greedy colonials and pugnacious political parties.

At the Suzhou Bookworm, Gunxiu Fang 77, Shi Quan Jie. Purchase of Literary Festival ticket required for entry.